


Stolen Barbie

by CantSpeakFae



Series: The Scars Souvenir [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Other, Pre-Canon, Preschool BFFs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-31 00:25:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17838899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CantSpeakFae/pseuds/CantSpeakFae
Summary: He never would have done it if he'd known how upset she was going get.





	Stolen Barbie

It’s his first time being allowed to have a sleepover at his girlfriend’s, Willow, house, a feat that required many, many, many hours of begging, pleading, crying, and tantrum throwing from both children to make it possible. But it happened and he was finally there! Willow’s house was a big house - a much nicer house than his, with more rooms and cleaner floors and they went wild, running from room to room, stealing cookies from the counter and telling jokes that only five-year-olds could really understand.   
  
Everything was going great. But then, it happened.   
  
Right before bedtime, when they’d been jumping back and forth between Willow’s big, squishy bed and Xander’s thin, sleeping bag (Willow’s mommy said that there were no circumstances where Xander would be allowed to share a bed with Willow. Circumstances is a big word that basically just meant no-dice and Xander wishes that Willow’s mommy would use smaller words) giggling like mad, when Willow landed on a hard lump in his sleeping bag and, hurt and confused, reached inside to see what had gouged in her knee.  
  
“Wait, Will, don’t -” Xander had started to cry, but it was too late. Willow had already reached inside and pulled out the Barbie that Xander had stuffed into the blanket when she wasn’t looking. He’d been planning to keep it there when he rolled up his blanket and hide it until he got home, but the jig was up.  
  
“Xander, how come my Barbie was in there?” She asked, looking at him with confusion in her big, doe eyes.  
  
Xander felt himself turn red. He didn’t mean to. Not really. It was just that he didn’t really have toys at home. Dad said his imagination was free so why the “fuck” would they waste money. And he’d seen the doll and the idea had just occurred to him. He didn’t mean to hurt Willow’s feelings and he felt his stomach starting to churn. And Willow, realizing that he’d been planning to steal her, started to get teary.   
  
Her tears trigger his own. He never would have done it if he’d known how upset she was going to get. He really, really, really wouldn’t have - he thought she wouldn’t notice, because she had so many.   
  
“You were gonna take her?!” She said, her tears spilling over. She clutched her doll so hard that her knuckles turned white and she gestured at him, violently, with the Barbie. “Xander, how could you! She’s my Barbie!”   
  
And in his mind’s eye, Xander saw himself getting in trouble. Willow’s mommy would come in and she’d hit him because that’s what happens when you’re bad, and he’s so ashamed and frightened that he starts crying, harder.  
  
“I didn’t mean to, Willow! I promise I won’t do it again! Please don’t be mad at me.”   
  
“It’s over, Xander!” Willow said, sharply, her tears turning into anger. “I don’t wanna be your girlfriend anymore!”   
  
“But, Willow, I said I was sorry! I won’t do it ever again, I promise!”   
  
“Mommy says that you can’t unbreak trust,” Willow said, severely. And Xander hung his head, dejected. He was gonna have to pack up his sleeping bag and his clothes again. They were gonna make him go home and then Dad was gonna whup him good for embarrassing him. “So, we can’t date anymore!”   
  
She paused, looking at him carefully.  
  
“But we can still be friends. Is that okay?”   
  
Xander could have fallen over in relief. Was that okay? It was more than okay. Friends meant that he wasn’t losing Willow - friends meant that even if her Mommy did hit him, they could play after and he wouldn’t have to go home. He nodded, eagerly.   
  
“Yeah, that’s okay! As long as we’re still friends!”   
  
Willow’s answering smile was bright as the sun and then she hopped back onto her bed to jump off again. She didn’t call for her Mommy - didn’t tell on Xander or get him in trouble and his heart did another flip before he climbed up, too, and followed her lead. The barbie - the cause of this strife, their breakup, and Xander’s temporary heartache - lay forgotten on the floor where Willow dropped it.   
  
 _Not bad for his first crushing rejection. They’d never date again, but at least he could always be friends with her._


End file.
